Spooky games welcome daring locals to Rollinsford Halloween party

ROLLINSFORD — With an almost full moon looming over, Kim Damtoft of the Colonel Paul Wentworth House was smiling.

“This is the third-year of our old- fashioned Halloween haunted house, and the best attended,” she said.

There were mini-vampires and goblins swirling over the front lawn and throughout the historic house enjoying games and experiences galore.

As the children and parents arrived, they were greeted by members of the Board of Directors, clad not in business suits, but instead in the garb of the 17th Century.

Each child was given an opportunity to play the “bone toss” game and witch's ring toss, which uses wood shaped like bones and tossing a ring onto a large pointed witch's chapeau.

Entering into the circa-1701 house, one of the oldest surviving dwellings constructed in New Hampshire, the visitors were greeted by Julia Roberts dressed in a scary, wraith-like dress and veil compilation. Roberts' character moaned a very scary “welcome to my house.”

After leaving the kitchen with a large walk-in fireplace, visitors meandered through the fully restored building, experiencing apple cake snacks and cider, plus a crafts table headed by Laura Scheibel.

The ancient dining room maintained its character, however the menu was slightly different, as servers Sara Putnam and Ian MacFarlane, both of Berwick Academy, intoned, “Welcome to dinner,” offering up “stomach” soup, plus “eyeballs and fingernails.”

“Quite delicious,” advised Putnam with an evil gleam in her eye, though there were few takers.

“Shrieks” and “eeks” could be heard resounding throughout the house.

Jennifer Florin of Rollinsford was accompanied by her 13-year-old son, Zac, a student at Somersworth Middle School. It was their first visit to the house, and when asked his opinion, a wide-eyed Zac said, “I can't answer that, I haven't seen it all yet.”

Visiting were the costumed Rose children of Rochester, Nyla, Jeremaih, Tyreek, and Jamier who were joined by father Larry and Melissa Osborne. The Roses took full advantage of all the house had to offer, especially Swami Darrell Ford. Settled in an alcove, the suitably attired Swami had a crystal ball from which he read fortunes.

“I see a test for you in school,” said Ford to one of his subjects.

“I've been doing this for three years,” said the amiable Ford, by day a civil engineer, “and I love it other than an occasionally murky crystal ball.”

“This is tremendous,” commented John Bradshaw of Rollinsford, accompanied by his young vampires, Julia, 7, and 5-year-old Preston. “It gives the kids an opportunity to experience Halloween and an environment that also teaches them some history.”

Six-year-old Serena Cahill of Rollinsford had just come from a ghost story reading done by long time teacher Chris Reishus and proclaimed, “I like scary stuff, things like that, dogs and ghosts. Reishus was reading from a book of ghost stories entitled “Strangers.”

As the volunteers, some 13 of them, entertained and engaged the families, Serena's grandmother Nancy McGinnis of Rochester commented, “I like this family-type outing, and it's certainly not just for the kids.”